One Defining Moment
by NewXenalander
Summary: Post FIN - I created this originally as a fanfic challenge that nobody took me up on. Gabrielle finds a way to go back in time in order to prevent the events that led up to FIN.  Where would she go?  What would she change?  Warning, unfinished.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary:** Gabrielle approaches Aphrodite and Ares for help bring Xena back to her.

**Timeline:** Post FIN, then... you'll see.

**Main Characters:** Gabrielle, Xena, Aphrodite, Ares

**Rating:** M, just in case. Pretty much PG-13 though. Some violence

**Disclaimer:** The Characters belong to Renaissance Pictures and MCA/Universal. I write for fun not profit so I hope they don't mind too much :)

**One defining moment.**

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**The warrior entered the temple slowly, her footsteps weary, dragging. She stopped in front of the altar and raised dark ringed eyes to gaze upon the statue standing next to it.

"Aphrodite?" Her voice, already harsh from lack of use, cracked with fatigue halfway through uttering the name. She took a deep breath and tried again. "Aphrodite? Could I talk to you for a moment please?" There was a long moment of silence, and she let out a heavy sigh, her shoulders drooping further.

"I'm here..." the warrior spun around to face the source of the voice. The Goddess's normally cheerful face bore a somber expression as she held her arms out, drawing the smaller woman into her warm embrace. "I heard about what happened. Oh Sweetpea I'm so sorry..." Aphrodite pulled back slightly, cupping the sides of Gabrielle's face with her hands, but the bard's eyes were downcast, refusing to meet her gaze.

"I still can't believe she's gone." Gabrielle allowed the Goddess to lead her to a couch that had appeared nearby. She unclipped the Chakram from her waist, setting it and her long, curved sword to one side before sinking into the cushions. It was clear from her slow, deliberate movements that she was completely exhausted.

"Gabby, when was the last time you slept? Or ate? Or bathed?" She asked the last with a slight nose wrinkle. Gabrielle finally looked up and Aphrodite gasped as the dull green eyes met her own. There were no tears there but the Goddess found herself gazing straight into a soul in torment, the depth of pain and despair etched into the blonde's face took her breath away. Aphrodite felt her heart break and her own eyes welled with tears.

"I don't remember." Gabrielle scrubbed at her face and ran her fingers through hair that was dull and stiff with salt from weeks at sea. Her randomly wandering gaze lit upon the chakram and she reached for it, holding it by it's curved handle and staring at her distorted reflection in the circular blade. "We were going to go to Egypt, get out of Greece for a while and see some more of the world. It wasn't supposed to end like this..." her voice was barely above a whisper. She looked up at Aphrodite again. "We were supposed to be together forever." A warm hand clasped her shoulder.

"You will be Gabrielle, some day you'll..." the Goddess was interrupted as Gabrielle shook off her hand and stood up, sudden anger giving her a burst of energy.

"Some day?" Gabrielle walked away a few paces, then spun back around to pin Aphrodite with an almost accusing stare. "Some day is not good enough! I..." her voice cracked and her anger vanished as tears that had been held back until now sprung forth, to spill down her cheeks. "I can't bear this! She's the other half of my soul. I feel like… like someone has reached into my chest and ripped my heart out and I can't..." The floodgates opened, and tears began to flow down her cheeks. "I can't breathe…" she was enveloped once more in the Goddess's arms, and held up as she began to sag, her breath slowly leaving her lungs in a silent, drawn out sob, her throat too tight to make any sound. She allowed herself to be pulled the few staggering steps back to the couch and collapsed onto it, her body shaking with grief. Aphrodite held her close, rocking her gently and muttering meaningless words of comfort until the storm of tears finally blew itself out, sheer exhaustion leaving the bard quivering but quiet.

"Come on little one, you need a bath, a meal and some decent sleep." Aphrodite finally said, preparing to transfer them both back to her chambers on Mount Olympus where her friend could rest in safety. Gabrielle roused enough to sit up, placing a hand on the Goddess's arm to forestall her.

"No... Aphrodite I need your help. I need you to help me fix this!" The Goddess stared at her.

"Gabrielle I can't! I would if I could but none of us can bring back the dead, not from ashes! Even if Athena were still alive, that was beyond even her abilities!" Aphrodite was clearly distressed, she wanted to help but there are limits to even the Gods powers.

"I know, I'm not asking you to do that. But I have an idea, and it's something I think you CAN help me with." Gabrielle took a breath, composing her thoughts. "Okay, a long time ago now, before Xena and I were frozen, Hope…" After all this time, the name of her daughter made the blonde wince. "Hope sent Callisto back in time to kill Hercules' mother before he was born, right?" Aphrodite nodded uneasily, having a feeling she knew where this was going. "Right, and Iolaus managed to use the Kronos stone to fix things."

"Yeah, and Callisto melted it. The stone was destroyed!"

"I know… but what if there's more than one? I need you to help me, to find out if there are other stones, and help me find one. I have to go back and fix this somehow." She saw the negative answer on the Goddess's face and pressed her case harder. "Please Aphrodite... I need her." Gabrielle clasped both of Aphrodite's hands in her own and pressed them against her chest. "Can you feel this? Can you see into my heart?" She whispered, and the Goddess nodded again, fresh tears running down her beautiful features. "Then you know that I'll never be whole without her. You of all people know that the kind of love we had happens once in a lifetime." Aphrodite nodded.

"More like once in a hundred lifetimes." She reached up to gently stroke the bard's tearstained cheek.

"So will you help me?" Gabrielle's eyes bore into those of the Goddess, pleading. Aphrodite closed her eyes for a long moment, then finally nodded once more.

"I'll do my best Gabrielle. For the sake of love..." she gave the bard a watery smile. "I don't really know how though, I have no idea where to find a Kronos stone. Or if other stones even exist!"

"I'm willing to bet that one of the other Gods does."

"Well maybe, but how are we going to persuade any of them to help you? You know that you and Xena aren't exactly popular after the whole Eve thing." Aphrodite shrugged helplessly.

"What about Ares, would he help us? He always said he loved Xena. Surely if he really did, he'd want to help bring her back?" Gabrielle was reluctant to involve the War God; not fully believing that his claims of love weren't merely an attempt to manipulate the Warrior Princess back into his service. But she was desperate enough to try anything. The Goddess of love still looked pensive, but as she considered the possibilities, her expression gradually changed to one of resolve.

"He might. I'll talk to him." She drew Gabrielle into another embrace. "Meanwhile, you really need to eat and rest or you won't be any good to anyone. I'll talk to Ares in the morning when you've had a few hours sleep. Deal?" She held out a hand, which the bard clasped and shook, nodding gravely.

"Deal." The word was barely out of her mouth when she felt the curious tingling through her body that meant she was being transported somewhere else. She blinked, and by the time her eyes opened again, she was in Aphrodite's home. Like most of the buildings on Olympus, the main hall was a large, airy space with stone pillars holding the roof up. Much like Aphrodite's temples, it had statues and paintings all around, mostly depicting the Goddess of Love and some of her favourite family members. Gabrielle felt a pang of guilt as she spotted the scenes of Aphrodite and her husband Hephaestus, and one of Artemis teaching Dite how to use a bow and arrows. If only the Gods had just left them alone... Gabrielle knew that if she had to do it all over again she would, but it didn't stop her heart from aching for Aphrodite at the loss of so many loved ones. She knew what that felt like. Gabrielle averted her eyes from the frescoes, blinking away fresh tears. Looking around the rest of the hall she saw several doors leading off the main chamber and followed Aphrodite to one of them.

"Here, this room usually only gets used when I'm babysitting little Bliss." The Goddess snapped her fingers and the room lit up. Gabrielle peered inside, noting absently that all of her belongings were already stacked neatly in a corner of the palatial room. As she had expected, everything was decorated with various shades of pink, but she was pleasantly surprised to find the shades were quite subtle and easy on the eyes. A huge four poster bed stood against one wall, some comfy looking chairs were set to one side, and the rug covered floor was littered with throw-pillows, mostly piled near a low dining table. There was even a writing desk in one corner with fresh blank scrolls and a full inkwell. Clearly Aphrodite had done a bit of quick redecorating before their arrival for this was not a child's room. In fact it was obvious that the Goddess had set it up this way specifically for her unexpected guest.

"It's beautiful Aphrodite, thank you." The once chatty bard abruptly found herself choked up and unable to speak any further. Aphrodite leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss on her cheek.

"My pleasure... now, bathe, eat, and then sleep sweetpea, that's an order." And with that, the Goddess was gone, letting the door swing quietly shut behind her. A bubbling noise drew the bard's attention to an adjoining room where a large, hot bath was foaming merrily. She closed her eyes and inhaled a familiar scent.

"Essence of white chocolate…" she smiled faintly; realising that Aphrodite was going all out to make her feel comfortable. She grimaced as even the memory of a happier time brought on a fresh wave of pain. She ruthlessly closed her mind to her memories and concentrated on the present, and her surroundings. The bath looked incredibly tempting and she resisted for only a moment before stripping off her grimy clothing and lowering herself into the tub with a groan. She would have loved to soak for a while, but was afraid that if she stayed in the warm water too long she would fall asleep. So she quickly scrubbed from head to foot, removing the salt from her skin and hair, then she climbed out. Promising her aching body a longer soak later if she got the chance, she dried off and headed back to the sleeping chamber. A long night-shirt had been laid out on the bed and she gratefully slipped it on, marvelling at the unusual material. It reminded her of the silk she and Xena had worn in Chin, but incredibly it seemed to be even smoother and shinier. It felt wonderful against her skin, sliding easily over it and whispering quietly as she moved.

Suddenly, something flashed into existence off to one side, making Gabrielle jump. Instantly on the defensive, she went into a half-crouch, eyes flicking to her belongings, calculating how quickly she could reach her weapons. She relaxed again when she looked back to the source of the flash and realised what it was that had startled her. The low table she had noticed earlier was now laden with bread, cheese, fruit and several types of cold meat. As the scent of the food drifted over, her stomach growled loudly, reminding her that her last decent meal was a long forgotten memory. Her legs moved towards the table without conscious instructions and before she even thought about it she was sitting on a plump cushion and reaching for a loaf of still-warm, crusty bread.

"Thank you Aphrodite." Gabrielle wasn't sure if the Goddess would hear her but felt the need to express her gratitude. Her first few mouthfuls were chewed and swallowed mechanically, as she had done with every meal since she'd left Japan. But as the quality of the food made itself known to her taste-buds, hunger took over, and she began eating with more gusto than she had in weeks. A skin of wine was hooked over the corner of the table and she filled a goblet, sipping slowly as she filled her stomach. She had made a size-able dent in the feast before her appetite was finally appeased and she was reduced to slowly nibbling on a sweet cake. Draining the wine goblet, she rose, feeling the warmth from the alcohol seeping its way into her bones, making them turn to jelly. She wasn't sure if it was the wine or exhaustion that made her sway, but the room tilted alarmingly for a moment before she recovered. A yawn almost dislocated her jaw, and giving in to the inevitable, she stumbled her way towards the bed and crawled under the covers. She barely had time to pull the blankets over herself before she fell into a deep sleep, not noticing the lights dimming and going out around her. For the first time in months, her slumber was uninterrupted by the nightmares that usually woke her every hour or so. Here in Aphrodite's realm, Morpheus's grasp was tenuous and the ever-thoughtful Goddess made certain that for tonight at least, Gabrielle's dreams were pleasant ones.


	2. Chapter 2

"You'll never get any of them to help you." The deep, rumbling voice echoed through the hall. Gabrielle had no trouble identifying the owner as Ares, the hulking leather-clad God of War. She stepped out of her sleeping chamber, as yet un-noticed by the conversing Gods. When she awoke she discovered that all of her clothes had been cleaned and laid out for her. That was something she had planned to take care of that morning but was grateful she didn't have to.

"You don't know that Ares, I can be very persuasive when I want to be. And besides, you'll help me won't you?" Aphrodite said, pouting for extra effect when Ares looked like he would refuse. Ares rolled his eyes.

"Oh no, not the pout, anything but the pout, you know I can't stand it when you do that!" The big God groaned as his sister's lower lip stuck out even further and her chin began to tremble slightly. He raised his hands as if defending himself from an attack. "Alright! Alright! I'll do my best, but don't expect miracles, after siding with Xena against Athena I'm not exactly everyone's favourite God you know." He sighed heavily as the mournful look on his sister's face was replaced by a brilliant smile that seemed to light the room. Gabrielle could feel its aura warming her even though she stood a good fifteen feet away. "Aww cut that out Dite!" Ares groused, "you know all those love vibes give me the creeps."

"Get over it you big baby." Aphrodite playfully slapped her brother on the arm. "I can't help it, it just happens when I'm happy." She reached up and pecked him on the cheek, leaving a glowing pink kiss-mark that faded after a few moments. "Thank you Ares, this means a lot to me."

"And to me." Gabrielle stepped away from the pillar she had been leaning on. Ares spun around, one eyebrow shooting up as his gaze travelled over her. Gabrielle was fully decked out in the armour she was given in Japan, with her Sais tucked in her boots, the Chakram on one hip and the Samurai sword sheathed at the other, she looked every inch a warrior. Ares let out a low, appreciative whistle.

"Wow, you look... different."

"I am different." Gabrielle's lips twisted into a bitter smile. "Losing a Soulmate will do that to you." She ran her eyes over Ares, noting the shadows under his eyes and several days growth of beard that darkened his cheeks. "You don't look like your usual cocky self either." He lowered his gaze at her comment, self-consciously giving one tarnished bracer a buff with his palm. Gabrielle's expression softened to something near sympathy at the pain in his eyes as he lifted them up again. "You really did love her." She voiced it more as a statement than a question, as if finally acknowledging to herself that the God of War was capable of loving a mortal.

"Just knowing she was around somewhere was enough, you know? Gave me hope that someday maybe she'd get sick of you and I'd win her back." He shot her a half-hearted grin, showing the barest glimmer of the old Ares, then let out a self-deprecating chuckle. "If Hades was still around I'd have to talk to him about that, you shouldn't have to mourn the same person three or four times in one lifetime."

"You can say that again." The Warrior-Bard agreed in a flat tone, having done this too many times herself.

"Whoa, enough of the gloom-fest guys!" Aphrodite piped in. "Like, I miss her too, you know? But isn't that what we're here for? Getting her back so we don't have to spend the rest of our lives totally bumming out?" This seemed to shake the pair out of their mutual funk.

"Right." Ares nodded, straightening up and looking more positive. He snapped his fingers and instantly the fuzz disappeared from his face and his armour returned to a pristine shine. "It may take me a while, if another stone even exists, it may not be in this dimension. But I'll do my best." In a moment of seriousness, he looked directly into Gabrielle's eyes and an understanding passed between them. "I promise." And with that he disappeared in a flashy light show. As the last sparks faded, Aphrodite turned to her guest.

"Are you hungry?" The Goddess of Love asked cautiously. Despite the maternal instinct that had led to her comforting Gabrielle the previous day, she was not really used to dealing with grief-stricken mortals and didn't want to set the Bard off crying again. She was relieved to see a faint smile cross her friend's pale face.

"Actually I am, but I was hoping to do some drills first. Have you got somewhere with enough space?" Gabrielle asked, looking around the Hall and indicating the urns and statues that were dotted all around the place. Aphrodite grinned and snapped her fingers.

"I do now! Right through that door..." she pointed and Gabrielle whirled around, seeing a door in the wall beside her that had not been there a moment earlier. She shook her head, a genuine smile lighting her face.

"Thank you." She said, and the Goddess grinned, wrinkling her nose.

"All part of the service." She said and gestured for the small Warrior to lead the way. As Gabrielle opened the door and walked through it, she inhaled sharply with surprise. Instead of the bare room she had expected, she had apparently stepped into a forest clearing, so similar to the ones she and Xena used to practice in that she had to swallow a sudden lump in her throat.

"Aphrodite this is amazing..." Gabrielle said, walking into the clearing and running her hand over a tree. It felt solid, dispelling her original belief that it was an elaborate illusion.

"Naah, it's easy to conjure this sort of stuff up, I just borrow the ideas from the real thing. So is this okay? I could find you a sparring partner somewhere, maybe grab one of your Amazon friends..." Aphrodite trailed off as the Bard began to shake her head.

"No thanks Aphrodite, this is fine." After so many years of sparring with Xena, she really didn't feel up to practising with anyone else just yet. There would be too many comparisons and the wound was still too fresh. She moved to the centre of the clearing and slowly unsheathed her Katana.

"Hey I've been meaning to ask for like years, what happened to that staff you used to destroy all my temples with?" Aphrodite called out from the hammock that had materialised between two trees.

"I, uh... I threw it away." Gabrielle admitted, her voice laced with regret. "I decided I didn't want to fight anymore."

"And yet here you are, armed to the teeth… so what happened?" Aphrodite asked, indicating the weapons that seemed to cover the blonde woman from head to foot.

"We died." Gabrielle replied flatly. "Because I wouldn't fight, Xena and I were caught and crucified. That put a new perspective on things."

"Oh, yeah." Aphrodite said, remembering the incident. "Man you should have seen Ares when that happened." She rolled her eyes at the memory. "He was so upset, he totally trashed two of his own temples. Then he ranted at Hades for hours because big Bro banned him from going into Tartarus to beat the tar out of Julius Caesar. He went completely wild when Hades admitted you weren't in Elysia or Tartarus. I've never seen him act like that. Honestly, he didn't cool down until the news came through that somehow you'd both been brought back to life. Then he couldn't get to Rome fast enough."

"He really does love her doesn't he?" Gabrielle said. "It seems so strange for the God of War to have fallen in love." She shot Aphrodite an amused if mildly accusing look.

"Hey don't look at me, our special powers don't work on the other Gods. Sure we can throw thunderbolts at each other and stuff, but for instance Ares can't make all the other Gods fight each other, except by annoying us. And Cupie and I can't make him fall in love. Believe me, this is as much a mystery to me as it is to you." Aphrodite twirled a strand of hair around her fingertips and shrugged.

"Well I guess I can't really blame him can I?" Gabrielle chuckled, her expression turning melancholy.

"Hey, none of that. We're going to fix this remember?" The Goddess waited for her friend to nod, then she hopped off the hammock with surprising grace. Gabrielle decided she had to have used magic to hold it still, having been flipped over by the cursed things more than once herself. "Now don't take this the wrong way, this whole mini-warrior thing looks super sexy, but I've always thought this suited you way more than a sword." Aphrodite stated, and held out her hand. A ball of light appeared in it, rapidly expanding into a long pole. After a moment, the light faded to reveal an exact replica of Gabrielle's old Amazon staff.

"By the Gods..." Gabrielle whispered, too stunned to even react to Aphrodite's crack about her size. She sheathed the Katana and reached out to slowly clasp her hand around the weapon. She ran her fingers reverently over the wood and the intricately patterned grips. There were tears in her eyes as she met the Goddess's gaze. "Aphrodite, I... I don't know what to say." She looked back to the staff, noticing that her hands had instinctively found the right grip to perfectly balance her old weapon. "I can't even tell you how much this means to me." She smiled through her tears, taking one hand off the staff to envelop the Goddess in an embrace. Then she pulled back and slapped Aphrodite lightly on her arm. "Careful with the height jokes though, or this "mini-warrior" might just have to kick your butt." She narrowed her eyes and mock-glared at the Goddess.

"This is the thanks I get?" Aphrodite asked, dramatically laying a hand over her heart. Then she winked. "Okay Amazon Warrior-babe, no more size jokes as long as you promise not to take apart any more of my temples with that thing."

"Deal." Gabrielle said, flashing Aphrodite a grin along with her own version of the Goddess's patented nose wrinkle.

"Cool. Okay then, get out there and show me what you're made of!" Aphrodite retreated to her hammock and settled down to enjoy the show. Gabrielle unfastened her sword and laid it on the ground, along with the Chakram and her armour. She moved back into the clearing, settling the length of sun-warmed wood in her hands again.

"It's been a while since I did this." She mused.

"Well, if you hit yourself in the head, I promise I won't laugh." Aphrodite stated, quite sincerely, and Gabrielle chuckled. She began slowly, twirling the staff in figure of eights, spinning it first to one side of her and then to the other. As her muscles warmed up and her body remembered the old pattern of moves, she began to pick up speed, feigning attack and defence, sparring with an invisible opponent. Aphrodite watched in fascination and ever-growing admiration as her friend went through a series of manoeuvres, each one more complicated than the last. After a while, Gabrielle was adding and inventing moves she hadn't been capable when she last fought with the staff. She performed wild leaps and flips, even running up a tree once then tucking and rolling in mid-air to land behind her invisible foe. She followed this with a leg sweep that would have put her opponent on the ground. By the time she finally wound down, Gabrielle was breathing heavily, her body covered with a fine sheen of sweat that glistened in the sunlight filtering through the leaves. She had become so focused on what she was doing that she jumped when Aphrodite began applauding enthusiastically.

"Whoo-hoo! That was awesome!" She ran forward and looked like she would hug the Bard, but she stopped, pulling a face. "Ewww, you're taking a bath before I hug you, sweaty-babe!" Gabrielle laughed, wiping the sweat off her forehead with an equally damp arm. She gathered her weapons and armour and the pair headed back into the Goddess's home. This time Gabrielle was able to give her body the long soak it had been craving. Afterwards, she felt more relaxed than she had since before Xena's death. The pain was still there, like a sore tooth that causes agony if prodded, but she was able to look past it, with hope that her plan would succeed.


	3. Chapter 3

The confidence that came with the implementation of her plan lifted Gabrielle's spirits considerably, and for a while she seemed almost her normal self again. Aphrodite and her guest settled into a routine of sorts. Each day would start the same, with Gabrielle rising and doing an hour or so of drills with her various weapons before breakfast. More often than not, The Goddess came to watch, encouraging the young Warrior to greater levels of stamina, speed and flexibility. Gabrielle quickly regained the tone and strength she had lost through lack of food and sleep during the weeks of travelling back from Japan. Regaining her vitality was also aided by the endless supply of food that Aphrodite provided. In fact, Gabrielle joked that she would have to increase her morning exercises to avoid getting fat. They spent the rest of their days talking and playing games of strategy that quite a few of the Gods enjoyed. Occasionally, Aphrodite would zap them down to Thebes or Athens and they would wander through the markets, browsing the wares. Gabrielle even taught Aphrodite how to haggle with the merchants. The Goddess didn't need to buy anything, being able to create anything she wanted, but she found that she had fun doing it anyway. She was impressed with Gabrielle's skills in that area, and was happy to see her friend smiling, laughing and enjoying life again.

But as days turned into weeks with no word from Ares, the Bard's optimism began to ebb away and she slowly withdrew into herself. Aphrodite tried to contact her brother, even calling on the other Gods to help find him, but she was unable to track him down. The fact that he had not yet returned empty handed gave her some hope, and she tried to buoy up Gabrielle's flagging spirits with that fact. As time went on, even knowing that Ares was still out there searching didn't help, for they both began to believe that if the War God had not yet found a stone, then it may be beyond even his power to recover one.

Then one day he returned, appearing out of nowhere looking exhausted but happy.

"This what you were looking for little lady?" He asked with a cocky smirk, pulling a glowing green stone out of his vest and holding it in his palm. Gabrielle was so overjoyed she actually ran up and hugged him, planting a kiss on his cheek for good measure. He raised an eyebrow at her. "Careful blondie, for a second there you had me thinking you liked me."

"Never..." Gabrielle answered, shaking her head but unable to wipe the smile from her face. "Thank you Ares. I was beginning to lose hope. I'm glad you didn't give up."

"Well I tell you it wasn't easy, whoever it was that hid this particular stone really didn't want it to be found. I had to wander around some pretty freaky dimensions. And I found it in a Dragon's hoard of all places. I hate those things, they stink to Tartarus." Ares groused, shuddering with revulsion.

"Come on Bro, take a load off, you look wasted." Aphrodite chimed in, indicating for him to settle himself on a comfy couch, a nice dark wine-red one in deference to his male ego. Ares stretched out with a deep groan, and helped himself to a piece of fruit from a bowl that appeared nearby. As he munched, he twirled the Kronos Stone between his fingers, staring into it with apparent fascination.

"So tell me." He said eventually, wiping the last drops of fruit juice from his beard with the back of his hand. He caught and held Gabrielle's gaze. "Now that we have the stone, what's the plan? Exactly when are you going back to and what will you do when you get there?"

"Well duh. That's easy, just go back and stop Xena going to Japan. You know, drag the Warrior Babe to Egypt instead. That's what you wanted right?" Aphrodite chimed in. Gabrielle shook her head.

"No, the damage was already done by then. Even if Xena knew from the start she was going to die there, she still would have gone. She felt responsible for Yodoshi and all the souls he had taken. If she ever found out about that, she'd go anyway. I thought maybe I could go back to the first time, when Xena was in Chin, and try to persuade her not to go to Japan in the first place." Gabrielle's idea was interrupted by a bark of laughter from the God of War.

"You're kidding me right? Boy you really didn't pay attention when Xena talked about the good old days did you? That Xena would gut you like a fish without even blinking. Once she had a plan, she didn't back out of it." He paused, pulling a sour face. "Except for that Corinth thing, when that idiot Borias got her up the duff and then turned all honourable on her. It messed with her head." He sighed wistfully. "She was never quite the same after that. Still incredible, but she lost some of her edge." Gabrielle rolled her eyes.

"Oh come off it Ares, you keep going on about the old Xena and how wonderful she was, but back then you hardly gave her a second look." The warrior-bard stepped towards him and lifted the Kronos stone from his hand, tossing it in the air and catching it, then tapping his chest with it. "Let's face it, you fell in love with the person she is now." Gabrielle paused, then corrected herself with a pained expression. "The good person she had become." Ares glared at her briefly, but his eyes lowered quickly and he stepped away, unwilling to admit she was right but unable to deny it.

"So what are you gonna do?" Aphrodite asked.

"There's only one thing I can do." Gabrielle answered, gazing into the emerald depths of the stone. "This whole chain of events leads back to one thing. One single, defining moment that set her off on the path that led us here."

"So what moment is that?" Ares asked, a trifle impatiently.

"You're just going to have to trust me." Gabrielle said, and without further ado, she turned and ran out of the room, grabbing her weapons on the way. Before the two Gods had a chance to follow her, there was a bright flash in the hallway beyond. When they looked out, Gabrielle and the Kronos Stone were gone. Ares and Aphrodite stood in the doorway staring at the empty space for a few moments, then the tall God of War turned to look down at his sister.

"Something tells me I'm not gonna like this."


	4. Chapter 4

_**Many Winters Ago**_

A gentle breeze stirs the night air. It makes patterns in the smoke billowing from the many torches that light the dock. A ship is moored there, and the fires are providing light for her crew as they prepare to sail on the rising tide. At the front of the ship stands her captain, a tall, striking woman wearing elaborate robes and leaning on a long sword. She turns as one of her men calls out to her, and the gold strands of her head-dress glint in the firelight as she makes her way towards the gangplank.

As she reaches it, she pauses, watching in interest as one of her men approaches with a bound captive. The crewman, although well dressed, looks scruffy and undisciplined when compared to his prisoner, who is dressed in well-tooled leather armour and carries himself with dignity. As he is shoved forward, he turns and gives his captor a disdainful look. The crewman returns the look with one of contempt. He offers the prisoner a hunk of preserved meat.

"You hungry?" He lets the meat fall to the dock planks. The prisoner ignores him, staring straight ahead. The crewman taunts him, determined to get a rise out of the silent man. "Awww, what's the matter, you're not hungry?" He laughs. The prisoner merely glances down at the meat before fixing his captor with a scornful look.

"I generally don't eat food touched by a pig." He says coolly. The crewman's face darkens and he backhands the prisoner across the face. The captive is knocked sideways by the impact but quickly straightens again, once more gazing straight ahead.

"You have a woman's touch." He says, his expression impassive, showing no sign of pain. The crewman punches him in the kidneys, driving him to his knees. This time he lets out one grunt as the wind is knocked from his lungs, but apart from a slight narrowing of his eyes, he refuses to react.

"So, you're not afraid of a beating huh?" The crewman asks. "Are you afraid to die?"

"A brave man dies only once." The prisoner states, turning to sneer at his captor. "A man like you, dies a thousand times."

"Well brave man..." the infuriated crewman kicks the prisoner forward so that his face nearly hits the decking. "Your one time is now!" He draws his sword and raises it, but before he can strike, a strong hand grips his wrist. It is the captain, who gives him a cool glance.

"Talus." She drawls, raising a condescending eyebrow. "Look at him... the robes... the bearing, the poise." As she speaks, she releases her crewman and walks around the prisoner, inspecting him at close range as he once again straightens up, looking at her with interest. "Why we have a Roman Nobleman. A valuable commodity." Talus looks confused.

"What are you talking about?" He asks. The prisoner rolls his eyes.

"Ransom." He says impatiently and cranes his neck around to glare scornfully at the uncomprehending man. "She's talking about ransom, pig." Before the crewman can react, his captain speaks again.

"That's right, we can get twenty thousand Dinars for him." The prisoner looks up and is about to speak when a new voice interrupts him.

"He's not worth it." The captain spins around to face the direction the voice came from. A blonde woman steps from the shadows, moving smoothly, all but soundlessly. She is small, the top of her head would barely reach the tall captain's shoulder, but she appears to be older by a few years. She wears a short red skirt and a very brief halter-top that show off her lithe, muscular form, and a black leather belt decorated with silver. Her wrists-guards and armbands are also silver, and the firelight catches a strange looking, circular weapon clipped to the right side of her belt, while a strange, slightly curved sword is attached to the left. She carries a wooden staff and has two thin, three pointed blades tied to her worn leather boots. The captain gazes at her appreciatively, taking in every detail. The prisoner gets to his feet, shrugging off Talus who makes a grab for him.

"Excuse me, but I'm worth five times that price!" For the first time, the Roman Nobleman shows a sign of emotion, glaring indignantly at the newcomer. Clearly his pride has been stung. The blonde woman laughs bitterly. She walks forward to stand in front of the captain, looking up at the dark haired woman who towers over her. For a moment, a strange expression, one of loss and longing, crosses her face as their eyes meet.

"Believe me Xena, you don't want anything to do with this man." She says in a low voice. The captain blinks and she puts her hand on her sword hilt, her expression suddenly dangerous.

"How do you know who I am?" She asks, though she seems unable to tear her gaze away from the misty green eyes of the smaller woman. The blonde woman smiles faintly, apparently unconcerned by the warning tone in the taller woman's voice.

"I know a lot about you." She steps away, circling the prisoner, who is once more being held by Xena's crewman. "I know where you came from, and I know how a warlord named Cortese killed your brother and started you down the path to this life." She gestures towards the ship. Then she turns and looks at the prisoner. "I also know a lot about him." She ignores the glare the prisoner sends her way. "His name is Julius Caesar, and he's a lying, power-hungry murderer." She finishes circling the prisoner, returning to stand in front of the captain. "He believes his Destiny is to rule the world." She lets out a contemptuous laugh. "And he won't let anything get in his way. Oh he's right, his fellow Romans will pay handsomely for him, but in the end, he won't allow you to keep the money, or your life. He'll seduce you into trusting him, and then stab you in the back the moment you turn it."

"Maybe I'm not that easily seduced." Xena drawls.

"Maybe you're not..." the blonde replies, moving closer so that their bodies almost touch. The captain's breathing quickens. "But are you willing to gamble your life, your crew and the people of your homeland on the chance that you can get a few Dinars out of one man?" Xena's eyes narrow, obviously the older woman's words are having an effect. She glances at the quietly fuming prisoner.

"A hundred thousand Dinars would buy a lot of weapons..." she says, but her tone of voice betrays her uncertainty.

"There are better ways to earn money than ransom Xena. Look inside yourself, this isn't who you are." She reaches up and lays one hand ever so gently in the middle of the taller woman's chest. "You're at a crossroad Xena. You have greatness in you, the power to do so much good in this world. Please don't throw that away." The blonde holds the tall woman's gaze for a long moment. Xena is spellbound, lost in the depths of emerald green eyes that seem to hold so much wisdom, and so much sorrow. Still staring at the blonde, Xena gestures to Talus.

"Let him go Talus. He's not worth anything to us." A warm, relieved smile immediately graces the smaller woman's face as she steps back a little, and it seems to Xena as if the sun just came out.

"But Xena…" Talus starts to object and Xena rounds on him.

"I said let him go!" She snaps. Talus still hesitates, but turns to obey when she shoots him a cold, commanding look. Xena turns back to the blonde, and is alarmed to see she's turning away.

"Wait!" In two strides, Xena is at the blonde's side, catching her arm. "Please don't go… stay here… just for a while? I… I'd like to talk to you some more." The small woman looks up, into familiar blue eyes, set in a much more youthful face. These eyes hold so little of the pain and darkness that her Xena came to know. For a moment she is tempted, wanting to stay and get to know this young, idealistic Xena. The moment passes though, and she regretfully shakes her head.

"I can't." She whispers. "I've done what I came here to do." She glances once more at the man who in future years caused her and her beloved so much pain and grief. "Whatever you do, don't turn your back on him Xena, don't trust him for a moment." Then she turns and walks away, continuing down the dock, heading slowly in the direction she came from. For a moment Xena looks like she may follow. Then she seems to snap out of it to some degree, turning towards Talus and the prisoner. Instead of following orders, Talus has been watching her behaviour with the blonde and is now staring at her like she's grown a second head. Xena walks towards him, her eyes narrowing.

"I thought I told you to cut him free!" She hisses as she passes by him, heading back to her ship. This time he hastens to do her bidding, putting on a brave act in the face of his captain's disapproval.

"Well, it must be your lucky day." He sneers at the prisoner, then uses his sword to cut the tight leather straps binding the prisoner's wrists. "Get out of here. You should have the feeling back in your fingers by the time you get back to town." He laughs and turns away. At this moment, the Roman lunges at him, driving an elbow into the top of his neck, just below one ear. Talus slumps to the ground, unconscious, and Caesar grabs his sword. Uttering no sound, he runs towards Xena, sword raised. Just as he reaches her, he staggers, but his momentum carries him forward to impale himself on the sword Xena had braced under her arm, prepared for his attack. His mouth opens in disbelief as he sinks to his knees.

"But... my destiny..." he chokes out, the words gurgling in his throat. He slumps forward and Xena glances down to see the hilts of the triple pointed blades sticking out of his back. She looks up to see the blonde walking towards her again, having dropped the staff on the dock some way away. She reaches Xena and bends to retrieve her weapons, then turns the Roman over with a heave of her foot before leaning down to gaze into his fading eyes.

"Actually your destiny was to be betrayed by your own people and stabbed by your best friend. This just skipped a lot of other people's pain and suffering along the way." She says, staring into his face with an intense expression as the last light in his eyes fades out. "Besides, there are things in this world that are far stronger than destiny."

"Like what?" Xena asks. The blonde woman smiles up at her.

"If all goes well, you'll find out some day Xena." With that she turns to walk away again. She has only gone a few feet when she turns back. "Oh by the way, you have a stowaway on board... go easy on her would you? You could learn a lot from her." She chuckles quietly at the dumbfounded expression on the captain's face.

"Who are you? And how do you know so much about me? And the future? Are you an Oracle?" Xena asks.

"In a manner of speaking." The blonde smiles enigmatically, walking slowly backwards.

"Well then Oracle, am I ever going to see you again?" The tall woman asks, a hopeful note in her voice.

"I hope so Xena. Some day..." reaching the place where she dropped her staff, the mysterious blonde woman bends to pick it up, then melts into the shadows, leaving Xena staring after her.


	5. Chapter 5

Gabrielle staggered slightly as she returned to her own time. It took her a few moments to orient herself and realise that she had not returned to Aphrodite's home on Olympus. The decor was similar however, and she quickly recognised it as one of the Love Goddess's many temples. The familiar sound of the Goddess appearing behind her made Gabrielle turn.

"So did it do the trick?" Aphrodite asked anxiously.

"I... I don't know..." Gabrielle answered in a distracted tone. She frowned, feeling a little off-balance even though she was standing with both feet firmly planted.

"Well what did you do?" The Goddess sounded a trifle impatient.

"I went back to when Xena first met Caesar. I stopped her from taking him prisoner. He's dead, he attacked her and we killed him. None of it happened now, he never betrayed her, or crucified her or..." Gabrielle paused, swaying slightly as a wave of dizziness overcame her.

"Whoa... Gabby, that would change everything!" Aphrodite's eyes widened in shock. "What have you done? You might never have even met her now!"

"I know..." Gabrielle closed her eyes, shaking her head to clear it. "It's worth it. Like Ares said, all that matters is that she's alive... somewhere…" another dizzy spell sent her to her knees. "Aphrodite what's happening?" Raising her fingers to her temples, Gabrielle cast the Goddess a frightened look.

"The changes you made are catching up with you. For everyone else out there, this is the only world that ever existed but you're from another reality, and now you're adjusting to this one. Your mortal mind wasn't built to handle temporal twists like this! It's hard enough for us Gods to remember more than one reality." Aphrodite knelt in front of the half-fainting bard and stroked her cheek. "You may not even know me when this is over, but it's been great having you as a friend." Gabrielle had time for one quick glance into her friend's tear-filled eyes before her own rolled back and she was cast into the past once more, this time only in her mind.


	6. Chapter 6

"Here mother, let me help you with that!" Gabrielle jogged up to her mother and eased a heavy sack of freshly gathered fruit from the older woman's overburdened shoulders, chatting good-naturedly the whole time. "You know, you should let me and Lila help you with this sort of thing, there's no need for you to carry all these heavy things when you have two strong daughters to..." she paused, looking around, a slightly impatient frown creasing her forehead. "Where is Lila?" Just then, a commotion began to one side of them in the dense bush. Gabrielle's younger sister Lila pushed her way through the bushes nearby and ran up to them.

"Mother! Gabrielle! We're under attack! There are men everywhere, and they've got swords and spears and things! We have to..." Lila stopped, squeaking in fright as three men appeared. Gabrielle's sack of fruit was dropped and forgotten as the three women were prodded at spear-point into a nearby clearing. Other townspeople joined them along the way. Some of them had been dragged from their homes, but most had been taking part in the harvest. Gabrielle, Lila and their mother soon became part of a growing group of frightened villagers huddled together in the clearing. The angry men-folk were being held at bay by the well-armed thugs who had rounded their women up like cattle. One of the invaders stepped forward. Unlike the rest of the men who were dressed in scrappy, ill-kept armour, this man wore well-polished black leather. The sides of his head were shaved and the rest of his hair was braided into a spiky crest on top. He had a strip of bright blue cloth attached to each shoulder, and appeared to be the leader of the motley group of men. He pinched the tip of his nose, as if gathering his thoughts for a moment before speaking.

"Okay, we can do this one of two ways. You can let us have the girls and go back to those hovels you call home, or..." and he clapped his hands together, a feral grin lighting up his face. "We can hack you all to pieces and take the girls anyway!" He laughed, clearly enjoying the situation. As he was speaking, Gabrielle glanced around her, seeing the fear in the faces of her friends and family. Her gaze caught that of her little sister, who looked up to her and thought she could solve any problem. Their eyes locked for a short moment and Gabrielle was galvanised into action. Ignoring the cries of her mother and sister, the young woman pushed her way out of the group, boldly stepping up to the leader.

"Take me! Let the others go!" She said, trying to appear brave, though her knees shook under her long peasant skirts. The man's smile grew broader.

"Nice try!" He answered, leaning over her, close enough for her to smell his horrible breath. "But we'll take you, and anyone else we want!" He reached out to grab Gabrielle and she instinctively slapped his hand away. His expression hardened. "It's never too early to start training a slave girl." He growled menacingly as he held out his hand and a whip was placed in it. Gabrielle glanced nervously at the long, black leather whip and began edging away from it. The man raised his arm and Gabrielle closed her eyes, steeling herself for the sting of the first blow. She flinched as a loud cracking sound rang out across the clearing. When the expected pain failed to eventuate, Gabrielle opened her eyes again. She was just in time to see the whip being jerked out of the leather-clad man's hand. The cracking noise she had heard was that of another whip wrapping itself around his, near the handle. Angry at being deprived of his enjoyment, the man spun around, reaching for his sword.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you..." these words were spoken in low, sultry tones, but Gabrielle clearly heard the edge of danger in the smooth voice. So did the thug, for he stopped, his hand unmoving on the hilt of his sword as he caught sight of the speaker. Gabrielle craned her head around the man, looking for the source of the voice. What she saw made her mouth drop open in astonishment. Standing at the edge of the clearing and casually disentangling the two whips was the most incredible looking woman Gabrielle had ever seen. Like the leader of the band of thugs, she wore a black leather top and trousers, but that was where the similarity ended. Her short sleeved top, bracers and long boots were covered in intricate silver armour. She had a sword strapped to her back, the pommel poking up over her right shoulder was shaped like an owl's head, with sapphire eyes, and the grip looked as though it had a snake coiled around it. Both were the symbols of Athena, Goddess of War and Wisdom. The woman also had a strange looking circular blade on her right hip. She strode casually forward, seemingly oblivious to the many weapons now aimed in her direction. She glanced at the blue scarf tied through the leader's shoulder guard. "So… you're with Draco. I thought I told him never to return to Greece… and I'm sure that scar I gave him wasn't that close to his ear, so he must have heard me."

"Xena, it's Xena, she's come to save us!" Gabrielle heard the name, and variations of the sentence, whisper through the crowd of villagers. So this was the legendary Xena, protector of Greece and commander of the Grecian Army. Gabrielle had heard all of the stories, but somehow when faced with the reality, the legends didn't seem to measure up. She was described as tall, but to Gabrielle she was impossibly so. She easily stood eye to eye with the leader of the thugs, and towered over several of his men. She was described as beautiful, and here again the stories couldn't do her justice. Her raven black hair cascaded over her shoulders, reaching down past her shoulder blades, and she walked with a cat-like grace. As her gaze swept over the frightened villagers and their captors, her ice blue eyes caught Gabrielle's for a fleeting moment. Gabrielle was left spellbound by the power in that brief look, she felt like her heart stopped beating for a moment. As Xena's gaze moved on to pin the gang leader again, Gabrielle was suddenly glad she wasn't in his shoes. Oddly, he didn't seem phased by the piercing stare. Glancing around at his men, then back at her, he grinned as if he'd been waiting for this moment for all of his life.

"Xena… just out for a stroll are we? All alone?" He glanced behind her to the empty half of the clearing. "Where is your army?" Xena merely lifted an eyebrow.

"Not far behind." The warrior princess hadn't even drawn weapons yet, but already some of the thugs were looking nervous, shooting darting glances around them.

"Well, the way I see it, there are over a dozen of us, and only one of you…" he looked around, glaring at the men who were beginning to edge away. Evidently they had heard the legends too. "Come on boys, she's only one woman. Let's get her, and make ourselves legends!" With a roar, he and his men charged forward. Xena gave a wild yell, and back-flipped, kicking the leader in the face. As she landed, she pulled the round blade from her hip and threw it. It went spinning around the clearing, slicing the tips from spears, and breaking several swords, making sparks fly. Before it returned, Xena had already drawn her sword, prepared for the fight. Gabrielle had never seen anything like the battle that followed. Xena seemed to be everywhere at once, fighting with hands, feet and blades. At one point she jammed the tip of a spear into the ground and used it to hold her up as she ran around in a circle, kicking opponent after opponent.

"Come on, now's our chance!" To Gabrielle's surprise, it was her normally peaceful father who grabbed a fallen branch from the ground and ran towards the group of thugs. The other men followed his lead, entering the fight with their bare hands, or with newly reclaimed scythes, rakes and other farming implements. In moments it was all over, the thugs had either run away or were laid out on the ground, some unconscious, some holding broken arms and ribs and groaning. Surprisingly none appeared to be seriously wounded. Xena picked her way around two of them and approached Herodotus, Gabrielle's father.

"Is everyone okay?" She asked, her expression concerned as she swept the group again with her eyes. Herodotus also looked around, smiling his relief as he spotted his wife and daughters, frightened but uninjured. After quickly checking everyone, he nodded.

"Looks like a few scrapes and bruises, but nothing serious I think. Thank you very much for your help Xena. If you hadn't arrived just then…" he let that thought trail away unfinished.

"Let's not dwell on that right now. If you could get your men to collect the weapons, my platoon should be here at any mo… ah, here they are." Xena's face lit up as she turned to greet the first of a group of perhaps thirty or forty mounted soldiers. "You took your time Callisto." She said mildly, grinning up at the stunningly white-blonde woman leading them. She received a glare in return.

"Give me a little warning before you go haring off next time and I'll do better keeping up." The woman did her best but couldn't keep up her grouchy façade for long. Eventually she grinned and held out her arm. Xena clasped her forearm and helped her to dismount. She was dressed very similarly to Xena, in black leather trousers and vest, but she favoured wearing studded leather rather than armour over the top of it. She also wore leather bracers, which had a silver owl embedded in the leather. As Gabrielle looked around she noticed that all of Xena's men seemed to have this insignia, some in bronze on brown leather, some in silver on black like Xena and Callisto. The blonde gestured to a young soldier, who rode up, leading a beautiful palomino mare. "We found Argo wandering around back there. That's one of the reasons we took so long. We couldn't catch the little menace." Xena took the proffered reins and rubbed the mare's forehead.

"Oh, she'd have found me eventually, wouldn't you girl?" Xena said, and almost got knocked over as the horse decided to use her armour as a full on face scratcher. Xena turned back to the blonde woman, who was surveying the carnage in the clearing.

"You've been having some fun I see. I so wish you wouldn't leave me out of these things." The blonde affected a pout.

"Easy Callisto, there's plenty more where this lot came from. Palaemon!" She shouted out to a sandy-haired man who was helping a villager tie the hands of one of the thugs.

"Yes Commander?" He asked as he came trotting over.

"Take these men into custody. Find out if this village has a sturdy building that we can use as a temporary jail. Once they're secure, leave half your squad to guard them and catch up with Callisto as fast as you can with the rest of your men. Draco's back, and he's up to his old tricks. Evidently he's forgotten I won't allow slavers to operate in Greece. Find out where he's lurking and see that he remembers the lesson this time would you?"

"What about you Xena, you don't want to join in the fun?" Callisto asked, obviously eager for the upcoming skirmish. Xena smiled and clasped her shoulder.

"Not this time Callisto. I've got an appointment remember? Catch up with me once you've rounded everyone up and arranged for them to be shipped back to Athens for trial." She clasped forearms with both of them and turned away. Her squad leaders quickly got their men organised. After briefly questioning their captives, Callisto took off towards Draco's encampment. She had orders to wait for Palaemon's arrival before attacking, but Xena wanted to make sure he wouldn't escape so Callisto could use her discretion. Meanwhile, Xena lead Argo over to where Herodotus was checking on his daughters while his wife and the other village women tended the few minor injuries sustained in the fight. He looked up as she approached and held out his hand, clasping Xena's forearm.

"Xena, my wife and I were wondering if you'd care to stay with us tonight. I'm afraid we can't accommodate all of your men, but there's a very nice inn in town. I've already spoken to Melanthus, the owner, and it's on the house, he won't empty their pockets any for a bed, a meal and a drink or two." Xena smiled and nodded.

"Tell him thanks for me, it's a very generous offer. I'm sure my men would love to stay, even if only for a drink and a bite after they've rounded up Draco's crew. But we have plenty of provisions, so there's no need to empty your storehouses, I'll tell my cook to let Melanthus take whatever he needs from our supply wagon when it arrives. As for myself though, I'm heading straight for Amphipolis so I'm afraid I'll have to decline." Xena inclined her head gracefully to convey her gratitude, and would have turned to leave, but Herodotus's wife stopped her.

"But Amphipolis is almost a full day's ride from here! And you're wounded…" she gestured to a shallow gash on Xena's thigh that was bleeding sluggishly, and another on her arm. Xena apparently hadn't noticed the injuries until now, and tried to shrug them off, but Herodotus's wife wouldn't take no for an answer. "Please stay, let me tend to your wounds, and then you can start out fresh at first light. It wouldn't delay you but a few hours, unless you were planning on riding through the night?" Xena hesitated and the woman pushed a little more. "Please, you would be honouring our house if you stayed." The warrior looked into her serious face, then at the eager expressions of their two awe-struck young daughters and finally relented.

"Since you put it that way, how can I refuse? Thank you, it's very kind of you." She almost laughed at the excitement on the girl's faces. "Just let me get everything settled with my platoon, then I'll be right with you." As she walked back to Palaemon who was beginning to move Draco's men out, Gabrielle turned to her sister, excitement bubbling in her chest.

"By the Gods! Can you believe this Lila? Xena, the great commander herself, is going to be staying in our house!"


	7. Chapter 7

Dinner was generally a convivial affair in Gabrielle's home. To a lot of folks her father appeared very stern, but in fact he was a gentle and affectionate, if private man, who loved his wife and daughters deeply. Tonight though, the usually talkative Gabrielle sat in awed silence, for the first time barely noticing her mother's excellent cooking. She didn't even realise she was eating her favourite, nutbread, until she was half way through her second slice. She was too busy listening to Xena. The Commander was filling her parents in on the latest news from Corinth and Athens, and of the tentative peace treaty she was forming with Pompey and Crassus of Rome. She knew the villagers would want to hear too so she was memorising every word the warrior spoke. After dinner Hecuba and Lila went to do the dishes and Herodotus invited Xena to move into the more comfortable sitting room, offering his chair by the fire and a glass of fortified wine.

"I need to go see Melanthus, I won't be gone long, I hope you'll excuse me." When Xena nodded, smiling, he turned to Gabrielle. "Gabrielle, why don't you tell Xena one of your stories while I'm gone?" He smiled proudly "I may be biased but she's quite the storyteller!" Gabrielle gulped. Normally there was nothing she loved doing more in the evenings than telling stories, either at home to an audience of just her sister, or down at the inn when her father decided that the crowd wasn't too rowdy. But suddenly the startling blue eyes of the Commander were looking straight into hers, and Gabrielle's mouth went dry.

"Oh! Um… well I'd love to… but I'm sure Xena is tired after the fight and all…" she stammered.

"Nonsense… I'd love to hear a story." The warrior smiled, showing beautifully even white teeth.

"Great! Then I'll leave you to it." Herodotus accorded Xena a half-bow of respect, and strode out of the house, letting Hecuba and Lila know where he was going, and leaving Gabrielle alone with Xena. She rummaged frantically through her seemingly blank mind, and finally came up with a story she hoped the warrior would like. She cleared her throat, took a deep breath, and began.

"I tell the tale of Tantalos and Erytheia…" within moments, Gabrielle became fully involved in the story, a comedy about a pair of unlikely lovers. It was a light hearted story, and contained a generous dose of misunderstandings, blunders, and general mayhem. To the redhead's intense delight, Xena seemed to be genuinely enjoying the tale, listening attentively, and chuckling in all the right places. Gabrielle was so caught up in the story, and watching the warrior's every reaction, that she barely noticed her Father had arrived home, or that her sister had finished the dishes and joined them in the sitting room. As her story wound to its happy conclusion with the hapless pair living happily ever after, Xena smiled warmly and applauded. Gabrielle felt like she would burst with happiness. Herodotus walked over and ruffled his daughter's hair affectionately, then wrapping his arm around her shoulders to convey his approval.

"Well, biased or not, you're right about her storytelling." Xena said, inclining her head towards Herodotus. Gabrielle blushed fiercely, but also smiled.

"She dreams of becoming a travelling bard." As usual, Herodotus's tone was one of mild amusement at what he considered a fanciful notion his child would eventually grow out of.

"She'll be a good one." Gabrielle felt her insides warm with pleasure at the Commander's words. Herodotus frowned slightly.

"Oh I'm not sure I like the idea of her wandering around the country on her own. Your army has done a wonderful job of keeping the peace Xena, but they can't be everywhere. If you hadn't turned up today like as not the men of this village would have been slaughtered and our women shipped off to the Gods know where." He shook his head. "It's just not safe for a young girl out there on her own." For a moment Xena looked as if she had something else to say, but the moment passed and she merely nodded.

"I understand." Xena drained the last mouthful of her wine and stood up just as Hecuba entered the room.

"Xena, I thought you might like a bath. We have a tub in the washhouse out the back here. Gabrielle can help you with anything you need, and when you've finished I'd like to check those wounds again. They cleaned up nicely but I still think that one on your leg may need stitching." Xena glanced down at the wound, showing through the slice in her leather pants. It had indeed opened up slightly when she had risen to her feet, but it wasn't bleeding very much.

"I'm sure it will be fine, I've had much worse than that before. But if you're handy with a needle, these pants could do with a quick repair job. If you wouldn't mind." Xena said, fingering the edge of the cleanly sliced leather.

"I can do that while you bathe if you like." Gabrielle piped up. Her sister snorted.

"You? Sewing? You'd be more likely to stitch the foot holes closed." Lila couldn't resist teasing her older sister. They had both inherited their mother's cooking talent but beyond that Lila was by far the more domestic of the two. To be fair her assessment of Gabrielle's sewing skills was fairly accurate, if a trifle exaggerated. Gabrielle glared at her, blushing furiously, though she was already wondering why she had made the impulsive offer in the first place.

"Lila don't tease your sister." Hecuba scolded gently as she herded Xena out to the bathhouse. Gabrielle followed, but didn't repeat her offer. Secretly she was relieved when Hecuba took Xena's trousers into the house to sponge off the blood and repair them herself, knowing that although she wouldn't have ruined them, her mother's stitching was far neater and the repair would be nearly invisible. Gabrielle found it impossible not to stare as the dark-haired woman tied up her long black hair to keep it dry, then stripped off the rest of her clothing. Her figure was incredible, long and lean, with every muscle clearly defined, but somehow they were smoother than the muscles that fighting men develop. Gabrielle felt her mouth go dry again as she watched the warrior lower herself into the warm water with a contented sigh. The warrior's eyes closed as she lay back against the side of the tub. Gabrielle watched her nervously, worried that the tired woman might fall asleep and drown if left alone. She swallowed, trying to moisten her dry mouth and throat, puzzled as it wasn't warm enough in the bathhouse to have dried her out like that.

"Um, Xena, would you like me to scrub your back for you?" Now why were her cheeks flushing? Maybe it was warmer in here than she thought.

"Mmmm, that would be lovely." Xena sounded sleepy and Gabrielle was glad she had spoken when she did. She was very sure she didn't have the strength to lift the tall woman out if she slipped under the water. Gabrielle dipped and soaped a sponge as Xena sat up, resting her elbows on her knees to give the redhead room to get at her back. The warrior took a deep breath and let it out as a sigh as Gabrielle began soaping her back, scrubbing with just enough pressure. She could feel the muscles relaxing under her hands as she worked. "So what other stories do you know?" Xena asked after a minute or two of silence.

"You want to hear another one?" Gabrielle grinned in surprised delight.

"I'd love to." Xena replied. So Gabrielle began another story. This one was another romantic story, but more serious and fitting the quiet atmosphere of the bathhouse. Gabrielle moved onto Xena's arms, carefully avoiding getting soap in the shallow cut on the left one. The redhead couldn't help noticing the fine lines of scars that decorated the older woman's body, a testament to the hazards of fighting for a living. Her words and movements fell into a matching rhythm, pausing only to ask for access to the next available body part. She gently but firmly cleaned the warrior's entire body, blushingly avoiding only a few areas. The warrior smiled in mild amusement as she calmly took the proffered sponge and tended to those areas herself. As Gabrielle's tale wound to it's finale the warrior ducked back into the water to rinse off, then stepped out of the tub, accepting the towel Gabrielle had ready for her. "My thanks." Xena said, inclining her head gracefully as she wrapped the towel around herself. "For both the entertainment and the bath. I can't remember the last time I was so well tended to. It's not a luxury I get very often. I may just have to take you with me."

"Really?" Gabrielle asked eagerly. Xena chuckled at the display of girlish enthusiasm, but then her face grew serious.

"Somehow I doubt your father would approve. He made it pretty clear he doesn't want you travelling." Gabrielle told herself she was imagining the regret in the Commander's tone. Still, the idea of travelling with this fascinating woman was too good for her to dismiss that easily.

"He doesn't want me travelling alone… but if I was with other people, say an army…" Gabrielle let the sentence trail off, not wanting to appear too eager. This may be her one chance to get out of Potidaea. Xena's face clouded.

"It's not an easy life Gabrielle. Being in an army isn't anywhere near as romantic as your stories probably make it out to be." Xena finished drying herself off and pulled on a clean shift from the saddlebag she had brought in with her.

"I know that Xena… but I want to get out of this town. I want to see some of the world before I'm expected to settle down and get married and raise a family. There's a whole world out there and I've only seen this tiny part of it. I know all these stories about far off places, but how can I even begin to describe them if I've never really seen them?" Gabrielle hung the towel over a rail to dry, smoothing it out as she stared into an imagined distance.

"You're really serious about becoming a bard aren't you?" There was no longer any amusement in the warrior's voice. Gabrielle nodded, meeting the blue eyed gaze.

"Yes I am. I was meant for more than this Xena." She gestured around her, meaning more than the bathhouse but the farm, the small, quiet town, the unadventurous people. She was grateful that the tall woman at least took her seriously and wasn't laughing at her like her sister, or dismissing it as a silly dream like her father.

"I can't go against your father's wishes Gabrielle." Xena began, a note of resignation in her voice.

"I know…" Gabrielle interrupted her. "Xena I love my father dearly. He's a good man and well respected. But he's a simple farmer, with no desire to see anything beyond the next town where he goes once a year to sell whatever harvest we don't need." She sighed deeply. "He loves me but he doesn't understand me at all."

"Talk to him." Xena said simply. "If he agrees to let you come with me, then you can. But it has to be you that persuades him. I may command the entire Grecian army, but in this house, even I have to obey your father's wishes where you're concerned. If he says no you will have to abide by that. Maybe once you're married you can…" she stopped at Gabrielle's snort.

"You haven't met the man I'm betrothed to have you? He's even less adventurous than my father." She rolled her eyes. "All right…" she said as Xena was about to speak again. "I'll talk to father, and if he says no, then I'll stay here, and get married and raise a brood of screaming brats and spend the rest of my days dreaming about what could have been." Gabrielle said, putting on her best air of tragedy, then grinning at the snort of laughter from the warrior. "But that won't happen, you'll see. I can be very persuasive when I put my mind to it."

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me in the slightest." Xena drawled in a very dry tone. Gabrielle chuckled.

"Come on Commander, lets go in and let Mom look at your cuts, then I'll show you where you'll be sleeping." Gabrielle hefted the warrior's saddlebag and opened the door.

"Lead on, bard…" Gabrielle felt another blush creep up her face, but smiled at the title.


	8. Chapter 8

The next morning, over breakfast, the young blonde approached her father about travelling with Xena. Her first approach evoked an adamant refusal, but over the course of a candlemark Gabrielle pleaded, cajoled, argued, and eventually wore him down. As he finally capitulated, Gabrielle gave him her biggest smile, and flung herself into his arms, babbling her thanks. As she stepped back she saw her father and the Commander exchanging looks, and as she headed to her room to pack some clothes and her few treasured possessions, she heard them talking in amused tones.

"I bet she was a handful growing up." Xena's tone was one of amusement. Gabrielle's father chuckled.

"Given a chance she'll have every man in your army wrapped around her little finger in the space of a week." Gabrielle heard the affection, and the undertone of worry in his voice. "She's a good girl, but… she's so young, and innocent…"

"My men know to behave themselves around women sir." Xena interrupted. "She'll be as safe around them as she is around the men in your village. Possibly even safer."

"You will look after her won't you? Try to keep her out of harm's way?" This time the worry in his voice was the stronger emotion by far.

"I can't promise she'll never see danger, but if it's within my power, I'll make sure danger never sees her." Xena's quiet, firm tone made Gabrielle's breath catch and stilled her hands for a moment, as they had been stuffing clothing into a leather bag. It seemed to ease her father's fears as well, for he said no more until Gabrielle left the room she shared with her sister and re-entered the main room of the house. Xena looked over from where she was standing.

"Ready to go?" The tall warrior queried. Gabrielle nodded and Xena held out a hand, gesturing for the younger woman to hand her the bag she was clutching. With a nod to Herodotus, Xena shouldered the bag. "I'll go saddle Argo. Meet you outside." This last comment was thrown over her shoulder to the blonde. Gabrielle watched her go then turned to her father. He embraced her roughly.

"Now you be careful, and listen to Xena, you hear me? You do as you're told, and she'll keep you out of trouble." His voice was gruff.

"I will Father, I promise." Gabrielle hugged him tightly, then turned and went outside to where her Mother and Sister were weeding the herb garden. She received a similar stern injunction to behave herself from her Mother, and a somewhat jealous farewell and a hug from her Sister. Then she turned to Xena who was leading the Palomino out of the paddock where she'd spent the night. Gabrielle's bag was tied to one side of the mare's saddle, along with Xena's saddlebags. As she drew closer to the horse, Gabrielle swallowed nervously, the animal seemed huge to her. Xena put a foot in the stirrup and vaulted easily onto the animal's back. Argo shifted her feet and snorted as the Warrior's weight settled in the saddle, and Xena gave the reins a gentle tug, settling her down again. She looked down at the blonde.

"Can you ride?" She asked. Gabrielle shook her head, a little nervously.

"Well, just hold up your arm, I'll pull you up behind me. Then put your arms around my waist. I'll make sure Argo doesn't go too fast until you're used to it." The Warrior reached down and clasped the bard's arm, and with a firm tug, she pulled Gabrielle up easily, hanging on until the younger woman settled herself. Xena chuckled as Argo moved again and Gabrielle let out a frightened squeak, gripping the tall Warrior's waist tightly. "Relax, I won't let you fall off."

"Oh good. Cause from here the ground looks a long way down, and it's all hard and painful looking." The bard said, trying to cover her nerves with humour. The Warrior chuckled again and eased off on the reins, letting the mare walk forward. Gabrielle managed to fight her fear long enough to unwrap one arm from the taller woman's waist and wave to her family as they headed down the path that led through their fields to the main road in and out of Potidaea. To Gabrielle's fanciful mind, it felt like she was stepping away from her old life and into a completely new one. It was scary, and thrilling, and somehow felt more right than anything ever had before.

They stopped after several hours of riding, and Xena let Gabrielle down off the horse to stretch the kinks out of her legs. The younger woman's legs nearly collapsed as soon as her feet hit the ground.

"Owwww!" Gabrielle groaned, trying to straighten her back. Although relatively fit from farm work, the muscles used to harvest fruit and carry water were very different from those used to hold onto a horse and her inner thighs and lower back were killing her already. She felt a pang of jealousy as Xena slid easily off Argo, then swallowed the feeling as the warrior took her elbow solicitously.

"Riding takes a bit of getting used to. Come on, you'll loosen up if you walk around a bit." Xena began to lead the smaller woman around the clearing where they'd stopped. The bard hobbled a bit at first but soon managed to straighten up and walk properly as her circulation returned. "To be honest riding behind the saddle like that is probably the worst way to start… It'd be better if you had a horse of your own." Gabrielle glanced over at the Palomino and shuddered.

"Ohh no thanks… me and horses have never really gotten along. No offense." She threw this last comment at the horse who she was sure had snorted indignantly. Xena chuckled.

"Well why don't we walk for a while?" She suggested, walking back to Argo and picking up the mare's reins.

"Are you sure?" Gabrielle asked. "I heard you say you had an appointment, in… Amphipolis right?" When Xena nodded, Gabrielle continued, "Look Commander, I don't want to make you late, I don't mind riding behind you."

"It's alright, I have a few days to spare yet." The tall warrior replied with a smile.

"Well in that case… I do think I'd prefer walking... at least for a little while." Gabrielle grinned up at the tall warrior. Xena loosened Argo's saddle girth a bit so it would be more comfortable but not so much that it would slip. She gestured to Gabrielle to walk by her side as she led the mare out of the clearing.

"So what's the appointment? If you don't mind my asking?" Gabrielle asked as they started out. Xena hesitated for a moment and Gabrielle hastily added. "Just tell me if it's none of my business."

"No it's ok. It's not really an appointment as such, I'm just paying a visit home." Xena smiled at the surprised look on the younger woman's face.

"You're from Amphipolis? I never knew that… the stories about you all say you're from a small village, but never which one." Gabrielle said.

"Not many people know, only my platoon and a few trusted officers. I have family there, and I've managed to upset a fair few warlords in my time, so I'd rather it wasn't public knowledge." When Gabrielle's forehead creased into a concerned frown, Xena continued, "If you're travelling there with me, you'd figure it out pretty much the minute we arrive, so I don't see the harm in telling you."

"I won't betray that." Gabrielle said, then felt a bit foolish, and blushed, staring down at the trail they were following.

"I know…" Xena said quietly, but in a slightly distant sounding voice. When Gabrielle looked up curiously, Xena was staring into the distance, as if puzzling something out. When she felt the bard's gaze on her she seemed to shake herself out of her thoughts. "So… what else do the stories say about me?" She asked in an amused tone.

"Ahh, ok, that you're from a small village…" Gabrielle made a hand gesture indicating that bit was covered. "And that one day that village was attacked by an evil warlord who had been ransacking other villages. But when the warlord attacked your town, you picked up a sword and fought his army off single-handedly, saving the town." Gabrielle punctuated her enthusiastic retelling with hand gestures, pretending to be fighting a group of invisible foes. She looked up when Xena chuckled.

"Well it wasn't quite like that." Her gaze went distant again. "The warlord was named Cortese, and he did attack my village, but I didn't fight him and his army single-handedly. My younger brother Lycaeus and I, we were sick of hearing about warlords like Cortese, a bunch of bullying thugs, frightening towns into giving up their money and food, never leaving enough for the people to survive on. So we decided to do something about it. When we heard Cortese was headed for our town we managed to persuade the towns-folk to defend themselves, not just to roll over and pay tribute. It wasn't easy, several nearby villages had been sacked by his men when they either refused or simply didn't have anything to give." Her jaw clenched, as she became caught up in the remembered anger.

"So what really happened when Cortese reached Amphipolis?" Gabrielle asked gently.

"We managed to fight him off… but at a terrible cost, probably half the men of the village were dead by the end of the day." Xena paused, swallowing. "Including my brother." She said this in a half whisper, and a single tear rolled down her cheek.

"I'm so sorry…" Gabrielle whispered, laying a gentle hand on the warrior's arm. Xena sniffed and gave her head a quick shake.

"It's been ten years since that battle and I can still remember the look on my mother's face when she saw me carrying him out of the field." Xena clenched her jaw again. "I know she hated me for a long time, and so did many of the other townswomen. It was all my idea, to stand up to Cortese, it was me that persuaded the town to fight back, and it was me that led so many to their deaths, fathers, sons, husbands… even my own brother."

"Xena you can't blame yourself for that." Gabrielle said quietly. "They were fighting to save their homes, their wives, their children. So was your brother, he died fighting for something he believed in." Xena let out a slightly bitter bark of laughter.

"Yeah, me. I was so sure that we'd send Cortese packing without a scratch on us and come home heroes… and so he believed it too. I should have made him stay behind, like mother begged me to… but he wanted to fight by my side, and I couldn't imagine anything could go wrong." Xena shook her head at her own folly. "We were just kids."

"But you were right to fight back weren't you? Look at you now, you've got the entire Grecian army under your command. Did we even have an army before you came along? And now the warlords are all but gone, and Greece is safe, all thanks to you. Even your mother and townspeople must see that."

"They do… now. But it took almost six years to get me to that point. For a few of those years, my entire village would have stoned me on sight." As Gabrielle's eyes widened, Xena's expression grew wry. "Oh I started with good intentions. I vowed that I'd never let anyone else threaten Amphipolis. I kept training with the few men that still wanted to follow me, and a few more who joined us from the villages that had been sacked or stripped by Cortese. I set up patrols, town guards, that sort of thing. But then I started thinking it would be safer to have a buffer around us, if the warlords couldn't get anywhere near Amphipolis it would be even safer. So my men and I started visiting the nearby villages. Some were willing to set up a mutual defense, and I found even more young men willing to join my army, but I started getting impatient with the towns who wouldn't agree. Eventually I took my army into those towns and beat them into submission. I began demanding tribute, money for weapons, food for my men." Xena shook her head, and gave Gabrielle a look of deep shame. "Somewhere along the way I turned into Cortese without even noticing it."

"So what happened? What turned you around?" Gabrielle asked. Just as Xena drew breath to answer, her head shot up, and she put a hand on the younger woman's arm as she cocked her head to listen to something. Gabrielle froze, slightly alarmed.

"That will have to wait until later, we've got company." Now Gabrielle could hear hoofbeats, quite a few, rapidly growing louder. Xena pushed Gabrielle behind her and drew her sword, completely alert. She pursed her lips and let out a strange whistle. The sound of the cantering horses abruptly slowed to a trot and an answering whistle sounded. Xena relaxed and sheathed her sword again as the first of the horses came into view through the trees.


End file.
